MONTICELLO – For the third time this season, Brookhaven andLawrence County met on the basketball court. Just as in theprevious two meetings, the Brookhaven girls and Lawrence Countyboys came away with wins in this designated Division 6-4Acontest.

The Lady Panthers authored a 42-25 win over the host LadyCougars, while the Cougars blew past the Panthers 65-38.

The Brookhaven girls improve to 9-15 overall and 5-3 in thedivision, while the Brookhaven boys dropped to 8-16 and 2-6. TheLady Cougars fell to 4-18 and 2-7, and the Cougars raised theirworksheet to 20-3 and 7-2; moving LCHS into a first-place withMcComb. Lawrence County host McComb next Tuesday.

Division 6-4A play continues Friday for both teams. Brookhavenhosts Jim Hill, while Lawrence County travels to South Pike.

Brookhaven 42, Lawrence Co. 25

The Lady Panthers held the height advantage, boasting 7 playersthat stood 5-foot-10 or taller. They dominated in the low post,throughout the night. Brookhaven, behind the combined scoring ofSwayze Black and Portia Dickey (6 points each), entered the secondframe with a 12-9 lead.

The Lady Cougars, coached by Jennie Vance, could not muster anyoffense, against the taller Lady Panthers. LCHS was limited to only5 made field goals in the first half, trailing 25-15 at thehalftime break. Vance’s squad shot 8-for-44 (18 percent) for thegame.

Black scored 6 of her game-high 13 points in the period; adding11 rebounds, 3 blocked shots and 2 steals. Dickey had 11 points, 8rebounds and 2 steals. Kayla Harris dished out 5 assists. BlancheWilson had 9 rebounds. Harris and Katie Mackabee each had 6rebounds, as Ole Brook outrebounded Lawrence County 42-32 on theboards.

“We did what we needed to do to win,” said Lady Panther headcoach Billy Holmes. “We are getting the ball inside to our postplayers.”

The Lady Cougars got 7 points and 2 steals from Erical Bryant.Ronesha Garner had 5 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 assists.Kenyactha Meyers had 7 boards and 4 assists. Each team had 13turnovers.

Lawrence Co. 65, Brookhaven 38

The Panthers were without senior starters Bud Chatman andMichael Thrasher, who missed the game for disciplinary reasons. OleBrook’s offense was out of sync, as they trailed 11-6 entering thesecond quarter.

LCHS didn’t exactly set the nets on fire themselves, holding a26-15 lead at the intermission.

The Cougars used the third period to pull away from thePanthers. David Clark pumped in 10 of his game-high 19 points inthe period, as LCHS outscored Ole Brook 16-4 in the frame. JustinLewis and Craig Tyler scored the other 6 points, as head coachBobby Lee saw his ballclub score at will in the paint.

Lee’s team held a 42-19 lead, entering the fourth period.

Neither team shot the ball well throughout the game. The Cougarstook advantage of Chatman and Thrasher’s absence, scoring 42 oftheir points near the free throw lane.

Clark also had 10 rebounds, 2 blocked shots and 2 drawn charges.Ray Collins had 2 steals and 6 assists.

Ole Brook, coached by Ronald Hines, was led by freshman CharlesRancifer with 9 points and 2 steals. Wade Stewart had 5 reboundsand 2 assists. Simmie Yarborough had 5 rebounds.